Acetylene-gas generator



LUDWIG II. BI'IM, OF NEW YORK, N.

I rrrcn.

Arnivr Y., AssIeNoRfTo 'rnn ELECTRO ons COMPANY, OF VVES'I` VIRGINIA.l

ACETYLEN E-GAS G EN ERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 609,494, dated August 23, 1898.

Application led J' une 1, 1896. Renewed May Tc all whom t may concern.-

Beitknown that I, LUDWIG K.BHM, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, and a resident of New York city, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic and Adjustable Acetylene-Gas Generators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to an acetylene-gas generator in which the pressure of the gas is regulated and adjusted by the height of the water-level in the reservoir which furnishes the water for the decomposition of the carbid.

It is further the object of this invention to provide a water-supply device, in combination with the gas-generating apparatus, which is relatively small and in which the height of the water-level can be varied at will, but remaining constant when adjusted to the desired height. Further, the water-reservoir itself may be raised or lowered, whereby the scale of raising or lowering the water-level is increased.

The invention is illustrated in the panying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a vertical section of the whole plant. Fig. 2 shows, mostly in section, the device for keeping the water-level constant at any desired height.

As is plainly seen from the drawings, the water from reservoirR descends through the water-supply pipe S and rises in cylinder B and upon reaching the carbid C in cylinder A decomposes the same, thereby generating the gas. When the pressure of the gas increases, then some of the wateris forced back into reservoir R, thus stopping the generation of the gas; but when gas is used then the water rises again and produces more gas. Thus the gas is automatically generated and always in a quantity proportionate to the consumption.

The higher the level ot the Water in R and the higher R itself the greater will be the pressure of the gas, and the lower the Waterlevel and the reservoir the more reduced is the pressure of the same. The gas leaves the generator through the gaspipe l?, which may connect directly with the piping which leads t0 the burners, or a gasregulating valve or a Fig. 2.

25,1898. semina. 681,755. (No model.)

gas-1eservoir may be interposed. T he pressure of the gas is preferably increased during the hours ofthe largest consumption-that is, when practically all burners are lightedand is decreased during those hours when few lights are used.V

The device D for varying the water-level in R and keeping it constant at any desired height is shown in Fig. l and in detail in 6o This device isa piston or plunger valve. It consists, essentially, of the piston a, the valve-casing,and the curved and graduated lever Z, with Weight. .The lever-arm is s11p ported by the fulcrum f, which is connectedv to the valve-casing by lever-arm b. The len ver Z carries the piston a by means of the sliding rod r. The Water entering the pistonvalve passes through the openings in the pisvton down into the lower portion of the valve- 7o casing and leaves through the opposite end.

If the pressure is greater in the Water-supply pipe S2, then the Water iiows through the piston into the tank R; but if the pressure in R becomes greater than in the water-supply pipe S2 then the piston is forced upa little,

so that the openings in the piston are no longer opposite to the opening 0, thereby c1osing the piston-valve. As is plainly seen from this construction, the Water-level in R can be 8o adjusted to any desired height by shifting the weight on the lever-arm Z. If the weight is close to the piston-valve, the water-level is low; but if the Weight is shifted farther away from the piston-valve then the waterlevel is maintained at a greater height. In this way any desired height of the Water-level can be maintained by shifting the weight into the corresponding position on the leverarm Z.

In order to raise or lower the Water-tank R, a'device is provided, which is shown in Fig. l. The water-supply pipe S consists of two parts, which slide in each other. The part s .s of the upper portion is inside of the enlarged 95 top part s' s of the lower portion of S. To the cylinder A is permanently attached by supporting bars a small cylinder F, into which extends s' s', and is permanently fixed into the bottom ot F. The top portion oit S, roo which is within the cylinder F, is enlarged in diameter, as shown in Fig. l, and slides in F, being tightened at the top by a stuffingbox G. At the bottom of F a water-pipe S3 is provided, through which press-water is introduced when the tank R shall be lifted. The press-Water forces up R, carrying with it the device D by means of the sliding pipe s2, which runs in the enlarged portion s3 of the water-supply pipe. lBy this arrangement is accomplished that the device D remains at a constant distance from the water-level in tank R when the tank is raised.

In the described manner an acetylene-gas plant is provided in which the gas is automatically generated as consumed and in which the level of the water in the tank supplying the water for the decomposition of the carbid, and thereby generating the gas, lnay be varied at will for the purpose of increasing or decreasing the pressure of the gas.

The details of the construction may be varied without changing the nature of the invention. r

I-Iaving now described my invention, what I claim therein as new, and desire to secure i by Letters Patent, is-

1. An automatic and adjustable acetylenegas plant consisting of a gas-generating apparatus in which the gas is automatically generated as consumed, a water-supply reservoir with water-Supply tube which consists of two parts sliding in each other, for the purpose of raising or lowering the water-reservoir, substantially as described.

2. An automatic and adjustable acetylenegas plant consisting of a gas-generating apparatus in which the gas is automatically generated as consumed, a water-supply reservoir with water-supply tube which consists of two parts sliding in each other for the purpose of raising or lowering the water-reservoir and a water-level regulator provided with a sliding device so that the regulator remains always at a constant distance from the water-level in the reservoir when` the same is raised or lowered, substantially as described.

3. An automatic and adjustable acetylenegas plant consisting of a gas-generating apparatus, a water-reservoir whose supply-tube consists of two parts sliding in each other, a water-level regulator with sliding device, and a small cylinder between the reservoir and the gas-generator and permanently attached to the generator and provided with a supplytube for introducing press-water in the cylinder for the purpose of raising and lowering the water-reservoir, substantially as described. 4. In an automatic and adjustable acetylene-gas plant a water-supply consisting of the reservoir proper which can be raised and lowered and whose water-level can be adjusted, a water-level regulator provided with a sliding device, and a Water-supply pipe consisting of two parts which slide in each other, substantially as described.

5. In an automatic and adjustable acetyiene-gas plant a Water-supply consisting ot' the reservoir proper which can be raised and lowered and whose water-level can be adjusted, a water-level regulator provided with a sliding device, a water-supply pipe consisting of two parts which slide in each other and a small cylinder surrounding the top portion of the water-supply pipe with a pipe through which press-water is introduced, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses. .A

LUDWIG K. BOI-IM.

Witnesses:

JAMEs A. SIMoNs, J. F. CARROLL. 

